Spectrum

I

Dear Diary,

This place is my very own personal hell. I can't explain it any simpler than that. Usually, you’d make friends at school. Not me. Everyone here avoids me like the plague for some unknown reason. Wait...correction. Almost everyone here avoids me like the plague. Cassidy Cooper, Kingston Sutton, Trey and Armon Ward make it their daily mission to ensure I hate life. I'm just like... What did I ever do to you?

"King, look who showed up for another school year. Hello there, Alaya," Trey mocks.

I mumble my response,"Hello."

"What might this be?” Cassidy asks snatching my journal from my hands. “Is this your diary?” she inquires.

“Yes.” It’s no use in lying.

“Cass, read a few entries,” Armon suggests.

“One moment. Let me find a good one. Here. ‘4.13.17: Why am I still alone. My face is a 4, but my personality is a 9. I’m faithful. Oh yeah. I’m the most hated person at Maddox Prep. The residence assistant just had to notice I wasn’t at the library. I was so close. Pills in hand, razor was sharp. It was perfect. And no one would have known since they were all at Kingston Sutton’s party. Why do people always have to ruin my suicide attempts. This was number 8. You’d think they’d understand that I’m over life at this point. Oh well. Time to get ready for another day in my personal hell. STBA, Laya.’”

All I feel are eyes burning into my skin.

“Alaya.”

I hear Kingston calling me, but I don’t want to look. He grabs my face and forces me to look at him.

“Alaya, what does STBA mean?”

“Sad To Be Alive.”

He lets go of my face and pushes me back. I thought he was about to walk away when he turns around and punches me with all the force he could muster. I can feel my cheek throbbing.

“Let’s go. We have to welcome everyone. It is the first day of school.”